Experts Say 2026 Could Be One of Kentucky’s Worst Tick Seasons Yet

As a young child, at a roadside restaurant while on vacation, I shouted, "I got one!" I have zero recollection of what I was talking about, but I was told the table conversation had gotten around to ticks, for whatever reason. When I yelled that, my grandmother nearly fell out of her chair thinking I'd found a tick.

Tick Season

See? That's what ticks do. They make even the strongest among us wince. Spiders? I'm respectful, but I'm not afraid of them. Ticks? They must all be destroyed. And so, it is with a certain amount of dismay that I share with you findings from experts that tell us that Kentucky is going through its worst tick season in decades.

And it's not just Kentucky bearing the brunt of a bad tick season. Nationwide, tick bites and the ensuing illnesses are on the rise.

Why Ticks Are Bad This Year

If the obvious answer, a warm winter, leapt to mind, you're not wrong. Here in Kentucky, we spent a couple of weeks in the deep freeze, but that was about it. But here's the dirty little secret...ticks can use snowfall to their advantage; the blankets of white serve as much-needed insulation. How's that for not fair?

How to Protect Against Ticks

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness, and the Companion Animal Parasite Council has a projection for the 2026 tick season that isn't the greatest news in the world for Kentucky.

Since the alarm has been sounded about this tick season, let's follow these CDC suggestions and protect ourselves.

- Wear long pants and long sleeves, and tuck pant legs into socks. I know it’s summer,  but think of the alternative.
- Treat clothing and outdoor gear with products containing at least 0.5% permethrin.
- Avoid tall grass, and if you’re hiking, stay on the center of the trail.
- Use safe repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD),
or 2-undecanone. If you’re not sure what to look for, the CDC offers this guide.
- Check your hair, your body, and your clothing for ticks when you get home.
- Take a shower.
- Examine your pets daily if they’ve spent anytime outside.

None of us is staying indoors every second of every day this summer. Nobody ever does. So the battle is on against the bane of our existence known as the tick. It's a battle we'll always need to win.